Footwear with heel and toe positions reversed

ABSTRACT

Footwear having heel and toe positions reversed so that the wearer leaves tracks indicating a travel direction opposite to the actual direction of travel.

United States Patent [191 Slemp [451 July 16, 1974 F ODTWEAR WITH HEEL AND TOE POSITIONS REVERSED [76] lnventorz- Cecil Slemp, Rt. 1, Box l20-A,

Jarrettsville, Md. 21084 [22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1973 [21] Appl. No; 417,604

[52] US. Cl 36/25 R [51] Int. Cl. .......A43b [.58] Field of Search 36/1, 2.5 R, 2.5 E, 25 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,170,248 2/1965 Levine 36/25 R ll /4 J 9/1968 McMorrow 36/1 8/1969 Matles 36/25 R Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John F McClellan, Sr.

[5 7 ABSTRACT 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures This invention relates generally to human apparel and specifically to boots, shoes, sandals and the like.

In the prior art of footwear numerous designs of soles and heels appear, and numerous special-purpose shoes have been provided, including footwear with animal tracks formed in the soles for the purpose ofleaving imprints suggestive of the passage of an animal rather than of a human.

However, the prior art of footwear in all the varied forms fails to suggest the present invention and provides no structure by which the objects the present invention can be accomplished.

It is realized that military or combat soldiers can eas' ily be tracked in the snow, desertsand, mud, or other soft footing. Army type shoe in use today (like any boot, shoe or sandal) leaves a foot print indicating to the enemy the direction in which the foot soldier is moving. The present invention provides a new type shoe and sandal designed to leave a foot print that will indicate to the enemy that the soldier is moving in a direction reverse to his true movement. Such footwear can be particularly useful in combat conditions on patrol or any secret mission that requires confusing the enemy. Should the enemy discover the use of the shoe, or sandal, effectiveness would not diminish because mere knowledge of existence of such footwear would create a question as to the direction of movement, where no such question existed before.

It is further realized that such footwear, in the form of lightweight molded sandals, for example, can be used as a novelty item around water where tracks can be left as on boardwalks, sandy beaches, or indeed can be worn anywhere.

A principal object of the present invention therefore is to-provide an article of footwear in which the posi tions of the heel and toe are reversed relative to the upper portion thereof.

Another object is to provide in accordance with one embodiment footwear as described which is wearable as comfortably under ordinary conditions as corre sponding types of conventional footwear, and. which under certain conditions provides improved traction.

Further objects are to provide footwear as described which is strikingly novel in appearance, durable, economical. safe, and simple to put on and remove.

In brief summary given for purposes of cursive de scription only, in terms of conventional parts of shoes, which include sole and heel, the invention includes means for retaining a sole portion beneath a rearward part of a foot and means for retaining a heel portion beneath a forward part of a foot.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readilyapparent on examination of the following description, including the drawings in which:

FIG. I is a front elevation of an Army type shoe;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the FIG. 1 shoe;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the FIG. 1 shoe;

FIG. 4 is a view from above of a combat soldier walking, using footwear according to this invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a sandal;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of a pump;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a boot;

FIG. 8 is-a side elevation of a detachable-appliance embodiment of the invention, and

' FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a further embodiment of the invention.

In the Figures, like numerals denote like parts.

1 FIGS. 1 3 show a first embodiment 10 of this invention including a sole portion 12, a. heel portion 14, and means including an upper 16 reversed for securing the heel portion 14 under the toe part 18 of the upper and the sole portion 12 under the counter part 20 of the upper. A wedge shaped insole 22'raises the inside of the heel portion of the upper a distance compensating the difference in height between the heel portion and sole portion.

As shown in the side elevation by the view of the underside of the mid-portion or instep 24 of the sole, the heel-sole arrangement is that of a left foot; the upper is for wearing on the right foot.

As best shown in the front and rear elevation views, the heel and toe reversal requires some widthadaptation because the heel is usually narrower than the part of the foot from the instep forward.

For this reason in the Armyatype shoe shown, in front a heel base broader than the heel forms a pseudo-sole 26 connecting the heel portion 14 with the toe part 18 of the upper, and behind, the counter part 20 of the upper narrows at the top and may widen below, as shown, for better support of the soleportion 12 which contacts the ground.

Laces 28 or any other conventional means maybe used for securing the-shoe on the foot.

Materials for the shoe may be conventionally leather with rubber heel and foam plastic insole.

In wear, flexing at the ball of the foot is provided by the relatively thin mid-portion 24 between the thickness of heel portion 14 and the insole 22. Excellent cushioning against heel shock is provided by the deep insole and good traction in climbing and descending hills is provided by the front location of the heel. In spite of the somewhat complex configuration, the shoe presents smooth overall outline not likely to hang on obstacles.

FIG. 4 shows the effect produced in wearing the shoe. Soldier S in walking in one direction leaves tracks T leading in the other directionj'As indicated, the left shoe 10 has reversed heel and sole portions patterned after a right foot shoe, and the right foot correspondingly leaves a left foot impression, left and right being characteristically indicated by the longer marginal'outline in the foot print on the outside and by the contour through the instep from inside to outside. The shoe uppers in each case have shapes comfortably fitting the respective human foot on which worn. a

FIG. 5 illustrates'a sandal 500 as for beach wear. Securing strap upper 516 fits the instep I of the users foot which rests on the sandal in reverse direction from the normal. As noted above, the toe-end pseudo-sole 526 of the sandal should be wider than the heel 514 below. The portion 512 on which the users heel rests may be wider than necessary for his heel, and if so, preferably has a side-to-side cup shape for his heel as well as the preferred cup shape 530 at the rear. The mid-section 524 provides a flexing action, especially when the sandal is molded of light-weight elastomeric material.

FIG. 6 illustrates a pump 600 for women showing the extremes to which the design adapts for novelty purposes. The broad area 612 sole beneath the wearers heel provides stability even though a spike type heel 614 is located beneath the ball of the foot. Build-up of the insole 622 elevates the users heel well above the toe, in the usual manner of high heel shoes for women.

FIG. 7 illustrates a boot 700 having the general configuration described, and indicating that there is no especial difficulty in putting the boot on or removing it.

FIG. 8 shows an appliance 800 which has a heel portion 814 and sole portion 812 which may be cemented or otherwise conventionally connected to an ordinary shoe S to leave foot prints giving the impression of travel contrary to the actual direction, according to the principles set forth.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment 900 in which the length of the foot as represented by upper 916, shown as an overshoe, is rotationally offset about a vertical axis with respect to the direction between the sole portion 912 and heel portion 914. By this means, one walking slewfooted will leave reverse-direction footprints undistorted by excessive turn-in; conversely, an excessively pigeon-toed walk can be compensated as to. the reverse-direction footprints by footwear having the opposite-direction rotational offset.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by US. Letters Patent is:

1. In human footwear having sole portion and heel portion positioned for contacting a supporting surface in walking, the improvement comprising: means for retaining said sole portion beneath a rearward part of said a foot, and means for retaining said heel portion beneath a forward part of said a foot, for thereby indicating by any track left in walking a reverse direction of travel to the actual direction of travel.

2. In human footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein additionally a second sole portion and second heel portion are provided, means for retaining saidsecond sole portion beneath a rearward part of said a foot and means for retaining said second heel portion beneath a forward part of said a foot.

3. In human footwear as recited in claim 2, wherein the first said sole portion has a contour defining it as a left hand sole portion, and wherein the second said sole portion has a contour defining it as a right-hand sole portion.

4. In human footwear as recited in claim 3, wherein the means for retaining the first said sole portion has shape for fitting a right foot of said a human, and wherein the means for retaining the second said sole portion has shape for fitting a left foot of said a human.

5. In human footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for retaining includes an upper portion forming a receptacle for said a human foot.

6. In human footwear as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for retaining includes an extension of said sole portion forwardly and upwardly over said heel portion.

7. In human footwear as recited in claim 6, wherein an insole is provided, said insole positioned rearwardly over said sole portion, and having a thickness at least equal to the height of said heel portion.

8. In human footwear as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of said sole portion and said heel portion is separately applicable to said means for retaining.

9. In human footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein all said retaining means includes means for fixing the direction between the sole portion and the heel portion in rotationally offset relation with respect to the length of said a foot. 

1. In human footwear having sole portion and heel portion positioned for contacting a supporting surface in walking, the improvement comprising: means for retaining said sole portion beneath a rearward part of said a foot, and means for retaining said heel portion beneath a forward part of said a foot, for thereby indicating by any track left in walking a reverse direction of travel to the actual direction of travel.
 2. In human footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein additionally a second sole portion and second heel portion are provided, means for retaining said second sole portion beneath a rearward part of said a foot and means for retaining said second heel portion beneath a forward part of said a foot.
 3. In human footwear as recited in claim 2, wherein the first said sole portion has a contour defining it as a left hand sole portion, and wherein the second said sole portion has a contour defining it as a right-hand sole portion.
 4. In human footwear as recited in claim 3, wherein the means for retaining the first said sole portion has shape for fitting a right foot of said a human, and wherein the means for retaining the second said sole portion has shape for fitting a left foot of said a human.
 5. In human footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for retaining includes an upper portion forming a receptacle for said a human foot.
 6. In human footwear as recited in claim 5, wherein said means for retaining includes an extension of said sole portion forwardly and upwardly over said heel portion.
 7. In human footwear as recited in claim 6, wherein an insole is provided, said insole positioned rearwardly over said sole portion, and having a thickness at least equal to the height of said heel portion.
 8. In human footwear as recited in claim 5, wherein at least one of said sole portion and said heel portion is separately applicable to said means for retaining.
 9. In human footwear as recited in claim 1, wherein all said retaining means includes means for fixing the direction between the sole portion and the heel portion in rotationally offset relation with respect to the length of said a foot. 